In a gas turbine pulse detonation engine, air discharged from the high pressure compressor (HPC) must be diffused, collected, and split into portions required for individual pulse detonation tubes (PDTs) configured to combust the fuel-air mixture using a detonation reaction. Each pulse detonation tube functions as an individual combustion chamber in the pulse detonation engine.
In a gas turbine engine that uses a centrifugal or axial compressor, air flow is typically directed by pipes that direct the flow and diffuse it into an annular plenum. In a pulse detonation engine, the flow from the high pressure compressor (centrifugal or axial) is still diffused in a manifold but is typically directed into individual tubes from a common plenum. Such an arrangement can maintain an interface with a rotor, but tends to result in significant unsteady air flow in the rotor.
A portion of the air to be used as high pressure turbine cooling needs to be bled off for further conditioning. This must be done in such a manner as to not stall the high pressure compressor or cause undue upstream airflow fluctuations.